Operation Ben Franklin

Operation Ben Franklin was a US Army military operation of the Vietnam War which was launched in Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam in 1968.

In reaction to the failure of the Tet Offensive, the United States sought to reclaim Quang Ngai Province from the North Vietnamese military. They found themselves facing a stretch of NVA defenses protecting Highway 14, so they moved into the jungle and occupied an old Viet Cong redoubt, the Chua Thanh My Monastery, and a town approach. They proceeded to launch a push through the jungle, facing heavy NVA resistance. The NVA managed to recapture a second Viet Cong redoubt which the Americans had taken, only for the Americans to recapture the redoubt and then secure a waterfall overlook where NVA snipers were perched. The Americans then held their territorial gains against the NVA, and they succeeded in repelling all of the NVA attacks, despite suffering higher losses. Quang Ngai Province was held by the Americans, who decided to press their advantage in Operation Champion a year later.